Guidelines On The Required Health Standards in Basic Education Offices and Schools

Reflection on the Guidelines on the Required Health Standards in
Basic Education Offices and Schools.
“Prevention is better than cure.”

-Desiderius Erasmus
The required health standards in education offices and schools really help us in our
efforts to prevent Covid-19 in our school premises and keeping us at ease by lowering the
possibility of local transmission and by keeping us teachers, our personnel and our students safe.
I am very grateful to be acquainted with the given guidelines since it gave me valuable
information on how to avoid being infected with the Covid-19 virus while dispersing my duties
as a teacher.
First, the DepEd required health standards framework is mainly composed of four Covid-
19 mitigation objectives:
a. Increase physical and mental resilience;
b. Reduce transmission;
c. Reduce contact;
d. Reduce the duration of infection.
Second, the DepEd testing Protocol is defined in terms of who will be tested, and how
testing will proceed. Testing all is not affordable and not feasible relative to the country’s testing
capacity. Thus, the testing protocol of DepEd shall be risk-based, guided by issuances of the
DOH and advisories issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). The DepEd Testing
Protocol adheres to the following principles:
Testing is an integral part of inter-related health standards and
measures to ensure the health and safety of the learners, teachers
and personnel. Thus, testing shall be combined with:
 Physical distancing at school, workplace, and during travel;

 Alternative work arrangements;
 Suspension of face-to-face classes as needed, cancellation of
activities involving congregation of learners and teachers,
and use of blended learning and distance learning modalities;
 Mental health interventions; and
 Detection and isolation whether at home, in a DepEd facility,
or in a health facility through referral.
Third, DepEd will ensure strong coordination with the health sector and local
government units. The DOH does not recommend indiscriminate testing beyond
close contacts of a confirmed COVID-19 case.
Fourth, in case of early detection in schools and offices, isolation of possible infected
individuals is essential. All learners, teachers, personnel, and other visitors shall be
subjected to temperature checks using a thermal scanner prior to entering
schools/CLCs or offices. Those who will have a temperature reading of 37.5˚ Celsius
and above or show symptoms of COVID-19 shall be provided with a surgical face mask
and brought to a clinic for proper evaluation and management.
Fifth, if there are early detection in school and offices, isolation of the infected individual
is essential. Symptomatic learners, teachers, and personnel shall be evaluated by the
school/office health personnel or referred to the nearest barangay/municipal/city
health center for evaluation or referral to a hospital if needed. Testing of possible
infected individuals should also be observed and the immediate quarantine of those
involved to prevent the virus to spread. Contact tracing shall be observed as well.
Sixth, concerning support protocols, DepEd shall coordinate with PhilHealth
on the coverage of applicable package/s to learners, teachers and personnel, and
shall set aside an amount to subsidize indicated testing for learners, teachers and
personnel, subject to availability of funds and applicable budget and accounting
regulations.
Seventh, support mechanisms required for the DepEd health standards are as follows:
A. Continuation of DepEd Task Force COVID-19
B. Internal Situation Reports
C. Communications Plan
SPECIFIC MEASURES FOR COVID-19 PREVENTION AND MITIGATION

IN SCHOOLS
1) Practice respiratory etiquette and other protective measures.
a. Practice physical distancing (at least 1

meter apart) at all times.
b. Frequently clean hands by using alcohol-
based hand rub/disinfectants or by proper
handwashing with soap and water.
Teachers shall allot a specific period
among learners for regular and thorough
handwashing with soap and water,
subject to the strict observance of
physical distancing.
c. When sneezing/coughing, use tissue or
inner portion of elbow to cover nose and
mouth, and be sure that proper distance
is maintained. Do not cover the mouth
with the hand.
d. Observe proper use of face masks at all
times. Both nose and mouth must be
covered.
e. Practice proper disposal of tissue and
masks after use.
2) All learners, teachers and personnel, on the first day of their

reporting to school, shall be provided with an initial orientation on
the respiratory etiquette and other protective measures. It shall be
reiterated that the same measures are expected to be practiced
in other public places, including when they travel to and from
the school, and even at home should risk factors exist.
3) The school shall ensure that each learner, teacher, and personnel
has access to the following upon return to school:
1. Cloth/washable face masks, earloop masks,

indigenous, reusable, do-it-yourself masks,
or face shields, handkerchiefs, or such other
protective equipment or any combination
thereof, which can effectively lessen the
transmission of COVID-19
2. 1 toothbrush and 1 toothpaste (K-6 learners)
3. 1 bar of soap (K-6 learners)

ii. The school shall ensure availability of hand
soaps/hand- sanitizers/alcohol-based
solutions/other disinfectants in restrooms,
classrooms, entrances, etc. by doing routine
monitoring and replacement/replenishment if
needed.
4) The school shall ensure routine cleaning/disinfection of

frequently touched surfaces and objects (tables, doorknobs,
desks, and school items) using bleach solution at least twice a
day, preferably before the start of scheduled physical classes
(e.g., once in the morning, once in the afternoon), as well as the
routine cleaning and the replacement of disinfectant solutions in
foot baths. More intensive cleaning and disinfection shall be
done on weekends.
a. Detection and Referral

i. All learners, teachers, personnel, and when
applicable, visitors, shall be subjected to
temperature checks using a thermal scanner prior to
entering the school. Those who will have a reading
of 37.5˚ Celsius or above shall be provided with a
surgical face mask and brought to a private
screening area that shall be set up near the entrance
of the school where the concerned teacher,
personnel, learner, or visitor can be further
examined, for appropriate management, intervention,
or referral.
ii. Entrance to the school of visitors and other external

stakeholders shall be discouraged. Non-face-to-face
communications and coordination through available
platforms (e.g., telephone, cellular network, the
internet) shall be prioritized.
iii. Teachers shall conduct daily rapid health check in

the classroom. Those who will show symptoms of
COVID-19 shall be given a surgical face mask and
further assessed in the school clinic.
Lastly, after knowing the guidelines, I am confident that we can observe all the protocols and
standard required to us since they are reasonable measures advised by experts and they will keep
us safe from Covid-19 and that we will go back to normalcy due to the availability of vaccines
and the growing awareness and prevention against Covid-19. Everything is only temporary, so is
the Covid-19.
NATHALIE J. BANATE
Teacher II

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Reflection on the Guidelines on the Required Health Standards in

Basic Education Offices and Schools.

“Prevention is better than cure.”

 Physical distancing at school, workplace, and during travel;

SPECIFIC MEASURES FOR COVID-19 PREVENTION AND MITIGATION

1) Practice respiratory etiquette and other protective measures.

a. Practice physical distancing (at least 1

2) All learners, teachers and personnel, on the first day of their

1. Cloth/washable face masks, earloop masks,

2. 1 toothbrush and 1 toothpaste (K-6 learners)

3. 1 bar of soap (K-6 learners)

4) The school shall ensure routine cleaning/disinfection of

a. Detection and Referral

ii. Entrance to the school of visitors and other external

iii. Teachers shall conduct daily rapid health check in

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